Grower Field Day and Barbecue!

The biennial Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center (FREC) Grower Field Day will be held Thursday, July 7, 2022. The Field Day will start at 8:30 a.m. with pre-Field Day demonstrations in the morning about peach production management practices and using intelligent sprayer technology in orchards. The regular program will start at 11:45 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m. Lunch will be included and starts at noon. Concurrent research and educational sessions will be held throughout the afternoon. In addition, we will have posters about the latest research occurring at FREC in the auditorium. Pesticide education category and core credits will be awarded, so bring your license!

The registration cost for the Penn State FREC Grower Field Day is $30 per person, including drinks during breaks and a delicious BBQ chicken lunch. The registration deadline is June 30, 2022.

Registration Form

Pre-Field Day Demonstrations

• 8:30 a.m. Register for field day
• 9:00 a.m.–11:30 p.m. – Peach production management practices and using Intelligent Sprayer technology in orchards

Grower Field Day Program

• 11:00–11:45 a.m. Registration for those not attending the Pre-Field Day Demonstrations
• 11:45–12:00 p.m. Introductions and Welcome, Summary of the SHAP-supported rootstock trials
• 12:00–12:45 p.m. Lunch – Chicken BBQ
• 12:45–1:00 p.m. Transit to attend educational sessions
• 1:00–1:45 p.m. Concurrent educational session
• 2:00–2:45 p.m. Concurrent educational session
• 3:00–3:45 p.m. Concurrent educational session
• 9:00–4:00 p.m. Auditorium will be open to view posters

Educational sessions will last 60 minutes, roughly 20 minutes per presented program; an additional 15 minutes for the transfer to the next session either by walking or bus. Sessions will be outside at different locations on Penn State’s farm, under a tent with drinks and restrooms available. Attendees will be divided into three groups; each group will attend all three sessions:

Session 1

• Horticulture Management Practices to Improve Fruit Quality
• Precision Irrigation in Orchards
• Robotic Crop Load Management

Session 2

• Lurking in Storage: Managing Postharvest Diseases in the Mid-Atlantic
• Utilizing Orchard Bio-Renovation to Suppress Nematodes
• Spotted Lanternfly Alternative Management Methods

Session 3

• Protecting Pollinators from Pesticides
• Using Biological Control for Orchard Pests
• Weed Management and Options for Pome and Stone Fruits

For more information, please contact Kristy Loper (kkl5535@psu.edu) or 717-677-6116 x 0